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Topic: Mid-Essex Mid-Week Nocturnal Series (Read 586092 times)

Every fortnight I shall be joining the Portsmouth members of this parish for their regular Wednesday evening ride. Thanks to the successful culmination of some expensive negotiations I have secured all the necessary paperwork from The Current Mrs R to ride out on the Wednesday evenings that I am in Mid-Essex. So, following the lead of the Portsmouth brigade why don’t we establish a series of Mid-Essex Midweek Nocturnal rides?

My plan is to start in September when I’m back from hols although obviously others can start the series off in my absence. The 9th September would be the first date I’d be available. I quite fancy riding through the autumn and winter regardless of the weather. We have some big cycling plans for 2010 so I would like to exit the winter fitter than I’ve ever been and battle hardened. Obviously I can only do the Mid-Essex ride every fortnight but hopefully there will be sufficient interest to run the rides every week.

I have no intention of monopolising this idea but my initial thoughts on the matter were to set off at about 6:30pm and follow a different route each week of between 30 and 40 miles. In keeping with tradition a pub stop would be built in so perhaps the choice of pub determines the route. Maybe we can draw up a rota so everyone has the opportunity to choose a pub, decide a route and lead the ride. I live in Witham but there is no reason why the ride should start from here each week. Personally, I have no objection to a short car or train journey to the start. We could even have two or more rides meeting at the same pub, e.g. a Southend ride and Witham ride could meet at a pub half way. My thoughts were that the emphasis was on cycling not drinking! We still have the Essex Friday Night Ride to the Pub series where the emphasis is decidedly the other way round!

I have been compiling a list of pubs and also have the local CAMRA guide. Here are the pubs I would particularly like to include but the whole idea is to tap into other people's ideas …

Off the top of my head, I'd add the following pub suggestions too, most of which I've visited, some of which I've only cycled past but been intrigued by...

White Hart - Margaretting TyeSwan - Little Totham (may need to start somewhere other than Witham or devise a convoluted route since it's only 4.77 miles from here)Leather Bottle - Blackmore (there's also one in Pleshey, not sure what that's like)Blue Boar - MaldonWhalebone - Fingringhoe (never been in, but it looked noce on the summer day I cycled past)

I think Pip will be pleased that your first suggestion is a pub she recommended! I'll have to get back to the Square & Compasses to let her know.

Wednesday is Turbo training night at the Chelmer and I'm planing on making use of this facility over the winter. However, it could get pretty tedious - and a ride out to a pub with you lot could be just the relief I require!

Sounds like a nice idea. I'm a CAMRA member too but can't cope with too much mid-week beer these days. I'm in West Bergholt and can drive a short way to the start but 6.30 will sometimes be a push. Driving also equals not very much beer. 40 miles sounds like 2.5 to 3 hours to me.

It's a good pub, or at least, years ago, when I last went in there, it was. I believe the locals call Margaretting Tye "Tiger's Island" for some unknown reason. It's certainly a lovely downhill run from Stock. I suppose that must be a round trip from Southend of about 50 miles.